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Reported Statements – Quiz 1
Reported Statements Quiz 1 (30 MCQs)
This multiple-choice question set evaluates the skill in transforming direct speech into indirect speech, including changes in pronouns and tenses. It covers various aspects such as past perfect tense, future simple tense, gender agreement, and questioning in reported speech. The test also assesses the ability to use correct verb tenses for reported speech accurately.
Quiz Instructions
Select an option to see the correct answer instantly.
1.
Choose the correct option:Adam:'I have an old rocking chair in my bedroom.'
A) Adam said he had an old rocking chair in his bedroom.
B) Adam said he had an old rocking chair in my bedroom.
C) Adam said he has an old rocking chair in his bedroom.
D) None of the above.
Show Answer
Explanations:
Option A is correct because it accurately reports Adam's statement using the past tense, which is appropriate for reported speech when the original speaker has already made the statement in the past. The use of "had" and "his bedroom" correctly reflects Adam’s ownership.
Option Analysis:
Option A:
Correctly reports Adam's statement with proper past tense and possession.
Option B:
Incorrect as it uses the wrong pronoun ("my") for possession, which does not match Adam's bedroom.
Option C:
Incorrect because it uses present tense "has," which is not appropriate for reported speech of a past statement.
Option D:
Not necessary as Option A is correct.
2.
Andrea: "I don't like spinach."Jose Manuel: "Patricia said (that) she ..... like spinach."
A) Doesn't.
B) Did.
C) Didn't.
D) Don't.
Show Answer
Explanations:
In reported speech, the tense of the original statement is changed to match the reporting verb's time frame. Since Patricia said "she didn't like spinach," and Jose Manuel is reporting this in a present context, the correct form is "didn't."
Option Analysis:
Option A:
Doesn't - Incorrect tense for reported speech.
Option B:
Did - Incorrect tense for reported speech; it should be negative.
Option C:
Didn't - Correct form, matching the original statement's tense and reporting context.
Option D:
Don't - Incorrect tense for reported speech; it should match the past tense of Patricia’s statement.
3.
Tom said to Mary:'' Why ..... "
A) Tom said to.
B) Tom asked Mary.
C) Tom told Mary.
D) Tom told to Mary.
Show Answer
Explanations:
Option B is correct because "asked" implies that Tom initiated a question to Mary, which aligns with the context of "Why.....". In reported speech for questions, we use "asked" rather than "said" or "told".
Option Analysis:
Option A:
Incorrect. "Said to" is not appropriate in this context as it does not indicate a question.
Option B:
Correct. "Asked Mary" properly conveys that Tom initiated a question to her.
Option C:
Incorrect. "Told" implies giving information, which doesn't fit the questioning context.
Option D:
Incorrect. "Told to Mary" is grammatically incorrect and does not indicate a question.
4.
"I won't see you tomorrow", John said.
A) John said that he wouldn't see you the next day.
B) John said that I wouldn't see you the next day.
C) John said that he wouldn't see me the next day.
D) John said that he wouldn't see me tomorrow.
Show Answer
Explanations:
Option C is correct because it accurately reflects the reported speech of John's statement. In reported speech, the pronoun "you" should be changed to "me" when reporting what someone said about themselves. Additionally, "tomorrow" can be replaced with "the next day" for clarity in reported speech.
Option Analysis:
Option A:
Incorrect as it uses "you" instead of "me".
Option B:
Incorrect as it uses "you" and "tomorrow" without the necessary changes.
Option C:
Correct for the reasons explained above.
Option D:
Incorrect as it does not change "you" to "me".
5.
Ghost / I / thought / I / said / saw / I / a
A) Ghost said i thought I.
B) I said I thought I saw a ghost.
C) All the above.
D) None of the above.
Show Answer
Explanations:
Option B correctly represents the reported statement based on the given fragments: "Ghost / I / thought / I / said / saw / I / a". It accurately conveys that the speaker (I) said they thought they saw a ghost, which is the proper structure for a reported statement.
Option Analysis:
Option A:
Incorrect. The order of "said" and "thought" is reversed.
Option B:
Correct as explained above.
Option C:
Not applicable since only one correct option exists based on the given fragments.
Option D:
Incorrect. Option B is valid.
6.
We change Past Simple to ..... in reported speech.
A) Don't change anything.
B) Past Perfect.
C) Past Continuous.
D) Present Simple.
Show Answer
Explanations:
Reported speech involves changing the tense of direct speech to indirect speech. When converting a past simple statement into reported speech, we use the past perfect tense. This is because the action in the original sentence (past simple) has already occurred by the time the reporting verb takes place.
Option Analysis:
Option A:
Don't change anything - Incorrect. Tense must be changed for reported speech.
Option B:
Past Perfect - Correct. The action in past simple has already occurred by the time of reporting, thus using past perfect is appropriate.
Option C:
Past Continuous - Incorrect. This tense refers to an ongoing action at a specific time and does not fit reported speech context.
Option D:
Present Simple - Incorrect. This tense is used for general truths or habits, not for reporting past actions.
7.
"I need some water." Kitty said.Kitty said (that) ..... needed some water.
A) I.
B) You.
C) They.
D) She.
Show Answer
Explanations:
The correct answer is
D) She.
In reported speech, the subject pronoun changes to match the gender of the speaker if it's not clear from context. Here, "Kitty" is a female name, so "She" is used.
Option Analysis:
Option A:
Incorrect - "I" refers to the speaker, not Kitty.
Option B:
Incorrect - "You" would be used if the reported speech was directed at the listener.
Option C:
Incorrect - "They" is plural and doesn't match the singular subject "Kitty."
Option D:
Correct - "She" matches Kitty's gender as a female name.
8.
Tom said 'I'm going to London tomorrow.'
A) Tom said he is going to London the following day.
B) Tom said he was going to London the following day.
C) Tom said he was going to London tomorrow.
D) None of the above.
Show Answer
Explanations:
Option B is correct because it accurately reflects the use of past simple tense in reported speech for a future event, which is 'was going to'. The original statement uses 'going to' indicating a future plan at the time of speaking. When reporting this, we change 'going to' to 'was/were going to'.
Option Analysis:
Option A:
Incorrect as it uses present tense 'is', which doesn't match the reported speech context.
Option B:
Correct for using past simple 'was going to' in reported speech.
Option C:
Incorrect as it uses present simple 'was going to', which is not appropriate for reporting a future event from the past tense.
Option D:
Not applicable since Option B is correct.
9.
Dr Chan:I'm going to London tomorrow.$\rightarrow$ Dr Chan said he ..... to London .....
A) Went, tomorrow.
B) Went, the next day.
C) Was going, tomorrow.
D) Was going, the next day.
Show Answer
Explanations:
Dr Chan said he was going to London the next day, which is correctly represented by option D. In reported speech, future actions are often changed to past continuous or simple past tense depending on context. Here, "was going" accurately reflects a planned action for the following day.
Option Analysis:
Option A:
Incorrect as it uses present tense which doesn't match the future context in reported speech.
Option B:
Incorrect because it suggests an action already completed, not a plan for the next day.
Option C:
Incorrect since "was going" is more appropriate than "going" to indicate a planned future event in reported speech.
Option D:
Correct as it uses "was going," indicating a future plan in reported speech, and "the next day" accurately represents the timing given in the original statement.
10.
Ian and Marvin: "We need new shoes."Ian and Marvin remarked (that) they .....
A) Will need new shoes.
B) Need new shoes.
C) Needed new shoes.
D) None of the above.
Show Answer
Explanations:
Reported speech uses the past tense to refer to something that has already happened. In this case, Ian and Marvin are reporting a need that occurred in the past, so "Needed new shoes" is correct.
Option Analysis:
Option A:
Incorrect - Uses future tense.
Option B:
Incorrect - Uses present tense for reported speech about the past.
Option C:
Correct - Past tense used to report a past need.
Option D:
Incorrect - All other options are valid in this context.
11.
Eliza:'My friend lives in this part of town.'-Eliza mentioned that .....
A) Her friend lived in that part of town.
B) Our friend lived in that part of town.
C) Her friend had lived in this part of town.
D) My friend lives in this part of town.
Show Answer
Explanations:
Reported statements involve changing the tense and pronouns to reflect that the original speaker is no longer present. In Eliza's statement, "My friend lives in this part of town," she uses the present simple tense with first-person singular 'my.' When reporting her words, we need to change both the person and the tense.
Option Analysis:
Option A:
Incorrect. Uses past tense ('lived') which is not appropriate for reported speech of a current fact.
Option B:
Incorrect. Changes 'my' to 'our,' but uses past tense, which is incorrect.
Option C:
Incorrect. Uses past perfect tense ('had lived'), which is not suitable for reporting present facts.
Option D:
Correct. Uses third-person singular 'Her friend lives' and present simple tense, appropriate for reported speech of a current fact.
12.
REPORTED STATEMENTS:Choose the correct answerThe salesperson said: "I will look for shoes in your size" .The salesperson said that she ..... for shoes in my size.
A) Will look.
B) Is looking.
C) Would look.
D) None of the above.
Show Answer
Explanations:
The correct answer is
C) Would look.
In reported speech, the future tense "will" is often changed to the past modal "would." This indicates a hypothetical or conditional action in the past that was not necessarily carried out.
Option Analysis:
Option A:
Incorrect. "Will look" is used for future actions and does not fit the reported speech context.
Option B:
Incorrect. "Is looking" refers to an ongoing action in the present, which does not match the reported past tense.
Option C:
Correct. "Would look" is the proper form for reporting a future intention expressed as a past statement.
Option D:
Incorrect. There is a correct answer among the options provided.
13.
Jamie said, ''Today I will teach you how to cook."
A) Jamie said that today he would teach us how to cook.
B) Jamie said that that day he would teach us how to cook.
C) Jamie said that that day he will teach us how to cook.
D) Jamie said that today I would teach you how to cook.
Show Answer
Explanations:
Option B is correct because it accurately reflects the reported speech of Jamie's statement, maintaining the future tense ("would teach") and using "that day" to indicate a specific day in the future as opposed to today or generally.
Option Analysis:
Option A:
Uses "today," which is incorrect because Jamie is referring to a future event.
Option B:
Correctly uses "that day" and "would teach."
Option C:
Incorrectly changes the tense from future ("would") to present ("will").
Option D:
Misquotes Jamie's statement, using first-person singular ("I") instead of third-person singular ("he"), and second-person singular ("you") instead of plural "us."
14.
Our teacher told us that the test would be easy.Teacher: " ..... "
A) The test will be easy.
B) I tell you that the test would be easy.
C) I tell you that the test is easy.
D) The test would be easy.
Show Answer
Explanations:
The correct answer is
A) The test will be easy.
This option accurately reflects the teacher's statement using the future simple tense, which is appropriate for a prediction or expectation about an upcoming event like a test. The other options use different tenses that do not fit the context as well: Option B and D use the past future tense ("would"), which is typically used to describe predictions made in the past; Option C uses the present simple tense, which does not match the teacher's statement of expectation.
Option Analysis:
Option A:
Uses the correct future simple tense for a prediction about an upcoming event.
Option B:
Incorrect as it uses the past future tense, which is not appropriate here.
Option C:
Incorrect as it uses the present simple tense, which does not fit the context of a prediction.
Option D:
Incorrect for the same reason as Option B; it uses the past future tense.
15.
REPORTED STATEMENTS:Choose the correct answerJane said: "I wore that jacket yesterday" .Jane said that she .....
A) Had worn that jacket yesterday.
B) Had worn that jacket the day before.
C) Wore that jacket the day before.
D) None of the above.
Show Answer
Explanations:
The correct answer is B) Had worn that jacket the day before. In reported speech, past actions are often reported using the past perfect tense (had + past participle). Here, "wore" in direct speech becomes "had worn" in reported speech.
Option Analysis:
Option A:
Incorrect. Uses present perfect instead of past perfect.
Option B:
Correct. Uses the appropriate past perfect tense for reporting a past action.
Option C:
Incorrect. Uses simple past, which is not suitable for reported speech of past actions.
Option D:
Incorrect. Indicates no correct option.
16.
Mia: "I have just finished reading a book."Mia said that .....
A) She had just finished reading a book.
B) I had just finished reading a book.
C) She has just finished reading a book.
D) I have just finished reading a book.
Show Answer
Explanations:
Reported statements are used to convey what someone has said, but in a reported form. In this case, Mia is reporting on her own action using the past perfect continuous tense "had just finished" which indicates an action completed shortly before another in the past.
Option Analysis:
Option A:
Correct. Uses "had just finished," indicating a reported statement about Mia's recent completion of reading.
Option B:
Incorrect. This is first-person singular and uses present perfect, not reporting on someone else’s action.
Option C:
Incorrect. Uses present perfect continuous, which does not fit the context of reported speech about a completed action in the past.
Option D:
Incorrect. This is first-person singular and uses present perfect, not reporting on someone else’s action.
17.
He asked her ..... she would marry him.
A) What.
B) That.
C) Will.
D) If.
Show Answer
Explanations:
The correct answer is
D) If.
In reported speech, when asking about a future event such as marriage, the word "if" is used to introduce the condition being asked about. For example: He asked her if she would marry him.
Option Analysis:
Option A:
What - Incorrect; does not fit grammatically in this context.
Option B:
That - Incorrect; typically used for reported statements without a question, e.g., He said that he would come.
Option C:
Will - Incorrect; should be part of the main clause and not introduced by "will" in this context.
Option D:
If - Correct; introduces the condition being asked about in reported speech for future events.
18.
My grandfather said that he always ..... up early.
A) Wake.
B) To wake.
C) Woke.
D) Wakes.
Show Answer
Explanations:
The correct answer is
C) Woke.
In reported speech, the tense of the verb in the direct statement is changed to the past tense form. Since "wakes" (present simple) is used in the original statement, it should be changed to its past tense form "woke" when reporting what your grandfather said.
Option Analysis:
Option A:
"Wake" is incorrect because it does not match the required past tense form.
Option B:
"To wake" is a infinitive and thus inappropriate in this context.
Option C:
"Woke" is correct as it represents the past tense of "wake."
Option D:
"Wakes" is incorrect because it does not match the required past tense form for reported speech.
19.
Barack asked, ''Where is Michelle?"
A) Barack asked where Michelle is.
B) Barack asked where was Michelle.
C) Barack asked where Michelle was.
D) Barack asked where is Michelle.
Show Answer
Explanations:
Option C is correct because it accurately reflects the reported speech of Barack's question, maintaining the past tense by using "was" to indicate that Michelle’s location was being asked about in the past.
Option Analysis:
Option A:
Incorrect. It changes the sentence structure and omits the past tense "was."
Option B:
Incorrect. It uses an archaic form of questioning ("where was") that does not match modern English grammar rules for reported speech.
Option C:
Correct. Uses proper past tense and maintains the question format.
Option D:
Incorrect. Changes the sentence structure to present tense, which is inappropriate for reporting a past question.
20.
Luke: "I don't know what to do."Luke said that ..... know what to do.
A) He doesn't.
B) I didn't.
C) He didn't.
D) I don't.
Show Answer
Explanations:
Reported speech involves changing direct speech to indirect speech, where the subject and tense are often adjusted. In this case, "I don't know what to do" is reported as "Luke said that he didn't know what to do." This shows a change from first person ("I") to third person singular ("he"), and the present simple tense remains unchanged.
Option Analysis:
Option A:
Incorrect. It uses "He doesn't," which is not appropriate for reported speech in this context.
Option B:
Incorrect. It uses "I didn't," which changes the subject and tense incorrectly.
Option C:
Correct. It accurately reports Luke's statement using third person singular "he" and present simple tense "didn't."
Option D:
Incorrect. It uses "I don't," which does not match the reported speech structure correctly.
21.
"Walter doesn't eat meat", Nick told us.
A) Nick told us that Walter does not eat meat.
B) Nick told us that Walter didn't eat meat.
C) Nick told us that Walter hadn't eaten meat.
D) Nick told us that Walter eats no meat.
Show Answer
Explanations:
Option B is correct because it accurately reflects the past tense used in the original statement "Walter doesn't eat meat," which was reported by Nick. The use of "didn't" indicates that this is a reported statement about Walter's current habit, as opposed to options C (which uses "hadn't" indicating a completed action in the past) and D (which uses "eats no" making it present tense). Option A correctly changes "does not" to "not," maintaining the negative form.
Option Analysis:
Option A:
Incorrect. Changes "doesn't" to "does not," altering the sentence structure.
Option B:
Correct. Accurately reports the past tense of the original statement.
Option C:
Incorrect. Uses "hadn't" which implies a completed action in the past, not a current habit.
Option D:
Incorrect. Uses present tense "eats no," not matching the reported past tense of the original statement.
22.
Jamie told me, "I'll never forget your birthday again." Jaimie said that .....
A) He would never forget my birthday again.
B) He would never forget his birthday again.
C) All the above.
D) None of the above.
Show Answer
Explanations:
The reported statement "I'll never forget your birthday again" is about Jamie remembering the speaker's birthday, not his own. Therefore, Option A correctly reflects this meaning.
Option Analysis:
Option A:
Correct. It accurately reports that Jamie will remember the speaker's birthday.
Option B:
Incorrect. This would imply Jamie is forgetting his own birthday, which contradicts the original statement.
Option C:
Incorrect. This option includes both correct and incorrect statements, making it invalid for a reported speech context.
Option D:
Incorrect. At least one of the options (A) is correct.
23.
He said, "Sue is coming to the party tonight"
A) He said Sue came to the party tonight.
B) He said Sue was coming to the party tonight.
C) He said Sue comes to the party tonight.
D) He said Sue was coming to the party that night.
Show Answer
Explanations:
Option B is correct because it accurately reflects the original reported statement, maintaining the future tense ("was coming") and the present perfect continuous aspect of "coming to" in the reported speech context.
Option Analysis:
Option A:
Incorrect. It uses past simple instead of future tense.
Option B:
Correct. Maintains the future tense with "was coming."
Option C:
Incorrect. Uses present tense, which doesn't match the original statement's time reference.
Option D:
Nearly correct but redundant with "that night," making it slightly awkward and unnecessary in reported speech context.
24.
'Bob doesn't go to my school.' He said that Bob .....
A) DIDN'T GO TO HIS SCHOOL.
B) WON'T GO TO HIS SCHOOL.
C) WENT TO HIS SCHOOL.
D) DON'T GO TO HIS SCHOOL.
Show Answer
Explanations:
The reported statement "Bob doesn't go to my school" is a present simple negative form, indicating a habitual action or current state. When reporting this in the past tense, it should be transformed into "He said that Bob didn't go to his school." This matches Option A: DIDN'T GO TO HIS SCHOOL.
Option Analysis:
Option A:
Correct. Uses the correct past simple negative form.
Option B:
Incorrect. Uses future tense, which is not appropriate for reporting a habitual action or current state in the past.
Option C:
Incorrect. Uses simple past positive form, which does not match the original statement's negative form.
Option D:
Incorrect. Uses present tense, which is not suitable for reporting something that happened in the past.
25.
He said, "I like this song." He said that .....
A) He like that song.
B) He liked that song.
C) He had liked that song.
D) None of the above.
Show Answer
Explanations:
The correct answer is
B) He liked that song.
When reporting direct speech, the tense of the verb in the reported statement should be adjusted to past simple if it was in present simple in the original sentence. Here, "like" changes to "liked."
Option Analysis:
Option A:
Incorrect as "like" is not in past tense.
Option B:
Correct as "liked" is the correct past simple form of "like."
Option C:
Incorrect as "had liked" indicates a past perfect tense, which is not appropriate here.
Option D:
Not applicable since one of the options is correct.
26.
"We finished this chapter yesterday." Peter said.Peter said (that) .....
A) We had finished that chapter.
B) They had finished that chapter.
C) They have finished that chapter.
D) They had finish that chapter.
Show Answer
Explanations:
The correct answer is
B) They had finished that chapter.
When reporting a statement in the past, we use the past perfect tense to indicate an action completed before another past action. In this case, "We finished this chapter yesterday" reported by Peter would be accurately transformed into "Peter said (that) they had finished that chapter." The subject changes from first person ("we") to third person plural ("they"), and the verb is changed to the past perfect form "had finished."
Option Analysis:
Option A:
Incorrect. Uses present perfect instead of past perfect.
Option B:
Correct. Uses past perfect tense, appropriate for reported speech in the past.
Option C:
Incorrect. Uses simple past tense, which does not indicate an action completed before another past event.
Option D:
Incorrect. "Had finish" is grammatically incorrect; it should be "had finished."
27.
"We were at the hospital yesterday." Ginger and Claire said
A) Ginger and Claire said that they were at the hospital yesterday.
B) Ginger and Claire said that they were at the hospital the day before.
C) Ginger and Claire said that they had been at the hospital the day before.
D) Ginger and Claire said that they had been at the cinema the day before.
Show Answer
Explanations:
The correct answer is C) Ginger and Claire said that they had been at the hospital the day before. This option accurately reflects a reported statement using the past perfect tense ("had been"), which is appropriate for describing an action completed before another past event (in this case, yesterday).
Option Analysis:
Option A:
Incorrect as it uses "were" instead of "had been," not reflecting the correct tense.
Option B:
Correct time reference but wrong tense; should use past perfect for the reported statement.
Option C:
Correct usage of past perfect tense to report a completed action before another past event.
Option D:
Incorrect as it changes both the location and the time reference, making it irrelevant to the original statement.
28.
Miriam: "I love chocolate."Miriam said that she ..... chocolate.
A) Loved.
B) Loves.
C) Loving.
D) None of the above.
Show Answer
Explanations:
Reported speech uses the past tense for present simple statements. Miriam said that she loved chocolate translates to "Miriam said that she loved chocolate" in reported speech, making option A correct.
Option Analysis:
Option A:
Correct. Uses the past tense 'loved' as required in reported speech.
Option B:
Incorrect. 'Loves' is present tense and doesn't match the reported speech context.
Option C:
Incorrect. 'Loving' is a gerund and not used in this context.
Option D:
Incorrect. At least one correct option exists.
29.
"I'm very sleepy now", he said. He said that .....
A) He is very sleepy now.
B) He was very sleepy then.
C) He had been very sleepy then.
D) None of the above.
Show Answer
Explanations:
The reported statement "He said that he was very sleepy then" correctly conveys the original spoken sentence "I'm very sleepy now". The use of "was" in the past tense indicates a time reference different from the present moment, which matches the context provided.
Option Analysis:
Option A:
Incorrect. Uses present tense "is", indicating current state rather than a past statement.
Option B:
Correct. Uses "was" to indicate a past time reference, matching the reported speech context.
Option C:
Incorrect. Uses "had been", which implies a completed action in the past perfect tense, not suitable here.
Option D:
Incorrect. No correct option.
30.
The teacher said that .....
A) The Earth was the large planet in the universe.
B) The Earth is the largest planet in the universe.
C) The Earth was the largest planet in the universe.
D) The Earth is largest planet in the universe.
Show Answer
Explanations:
Option B is correct because it accurately uses the present tense "is" to report what the teacher said, indicating a current fact. The sentence also correctly uses an article before "largest planet."
Option Analysis:
Option A:
Incorrect use of past tense "was."
Option C:
Incorrect use of past tense "was."
Option D:
Missing article before "largest planet."
Frequently Asked Questions
What are reported statements?
Reported statements are sentences that convey what someone else has said, often using tags like 'said', 'reported', or 'told' to introduce the speaker's words.
How do reported statements differ from direct speech?
Direct speech includes the exact words spoken, enclosed in quotation marks. Reported statements, on the other hand, paraphrase or summarize what was said without using quotation marks.
Can reported statements use past perfect tense?
Yes, reported statements can use past perfect tense to indicate that an action had been completed before another past action. For example, 'He said he had finished his homework.'
When should I use reported speech?
Reported speech is used when you want to report what someone else has said, especially in formal writing or when recounting conversations.
What are some common reported speech tags?
Common reported speech tags include 'said', 'reported', and 'told'. These can be used to introduce the speaker's words in a reported statement.